Faculty of Communication - MFL

AT Fazakerley High School we are proud to be in a position to offer French, Spanish and German to all our students and at all levels.

French and Spanish are taught to Year 7 and 8, mostly depending on the language the students studied in their primary school. In Year 9, all students have the choice of opting for any of the three languages we offer as a core MFL GCSE subject or/and as an option.

In an effort to help our students connect with languages and the cultures they vehicle, we incorporate songs and films studies into the curriculum and we give our pupils regular opportunities to partake in residential trips abroad.

The MFL department has always enjoyed success in public examinations at all levels. Over recent years, armed with their high grades, past pupils have gone on to study degrees in French and Modern European Languages at Red Brick Universities up and down the country.

French and Spanish

When new students join us from another school, we endeavour to keep them studying the same language as they studied in their previous school in an effort to facilitate adaptation to their new school environment and build on skills that they have acquired prior to joining us.

Topics of Study

Year 7

Pupils learn how to introduce themselves, talk about their family and pets, give details about where they live, their school life and the world around them.

Year 8

Pupils start Year 8 by studying the Present, Past and Future Tense in French. They also learn how to talk about food, clothes, the weather and the activities they do, their region, describe their holidays and discuss their media preferences.

Assessment

On completion of each unit of work, pupils' speaking, listening, reading and writing skills are assessed. All attainment is recorded and pupils set themselves a target for the next unit by using the department's progress ladder.

Homework

Students are given a new homework booklet at the beginning of every module which contains weekly homework set to reinforce the work we do in class.

Additionally, students are set regular vocabulary to learn and are tested weekly.

The school also subscribes to A Tantôt – an online language learning resource which provides pupils with games and other interactive language learning activities. Further guidance is provided on the back of the homework booklet to access the specific pages to support homework completion.

Parental Support

Parental support is very important in learning languages. Parents can get involved by testing their children's vocabulary on a variety of topics. In order to guarantee success, this must be done regularly.

Students are also offered the possibility of subscribing to language learning magazines for a very reasonable price.

MFL GCSE

Starting MFL GCSE courses in Year 9 enables us to offer a choice of ab initio French, Spanish or German GCSE with confidence.
Year 9 is then used as a foundation year during which the basic KS3 language skills are covered.
Year 10-11 run as more traditional MFL GCSE courses.

Assessment

60% Controlled Assessment
40% Examination
Note that this will remain the case until summer 2017, after which MFL GCSEs will become linear.

Topics of Study

Pupils will follow the Edexcel GCSE French course or/and the AQA GCSE Spanish course and will cover the following topics:

Personal Information – Pupils learn to talk about their hobbies in detail. They also learn how to talk about their family and friends, their fashion preferences and healthy lifestyles.

Media and Culture – Pupils discuss their media preferences and learn how to talk about their favourite celebrities.

Out and About – Pupils learn how to describe their region in detail. They also learn how to talk about the environment and describe ways in which they can save the planet.

Travel and Tourism – Pupils learn how to talk about their holidays: they talk about their travel preferences and their daily routines.

Future Plans and Education – Pupils learn to discuss their school, their favourite subjects and their future plans.

Business and Employment – Pupils learn to talk about their work experience and career aspirations.

Homework

In Year 9, pupils are asked to acquire the CGP KS3 revision guide and workbook to support home learning. Homework consists mostly of vocabulary learning and completing the relevant pages in the workbook to reinforce the topics studied in class.

In Year 10-11 students are strongly asked to acquire the Pearson revision guide and workbook. Homework also consists of vocabulary learning and completing the relevant pages in the workbook to reinforce the topics studied in class. Additionally, pupils will also be given extra work at home to prepare for their controlled assessment.
The school also subscribes to A Tantôt – an online language learning resource which provides pupils with games and other interactive language learning activities.

Parental Support

Parents can assist their children by testing their subject specific vocabulary.

Parents can also encourage their children to use the Internet to listen to French radio and watch French TV programmes.

Alternatively, students are offered the possibility of subscribing to language learning magazines for a very reasonable price.

All students are provided with a list of useful websites to support their learning.